<p>Hi, I am currently an eigth grader attending middle school and I one day dream of going to M.I.T. and getting a PHD in mechanical engineering so I can one day become an automotive designer/ engineer. I would like to know if I should go to either a regular highschool and take all the difficult classes, or go to a hard to get into art school that I got into, and not have many choices schoolwise. Would the art props improve my impression. I would do very well in the academic portion of the art school because alot of the kids are really into art and aren't generally the best in academics, which would boost me right to the head of the class because I am very good at academics. Should I go to the regular highschool and take all the difficult classes and also excel? Should I go to a brainiac highschool where everyone is smart which would make me appear average? I don't know what to do, please help me. I've gotten very very high star test scores all above advanced. Which school do you think would give me the best chance?</p>
<p>I am a senior, and took the art route. My schedule is VERY demanding, especially if you are involved with performances, so academics can be hard for me and my peers. I seem to handle them well, coming out top of my class, and I think i made the right decision. You can pull of both, I did. Aside from performing classes, I take all AP's. At art schools, they are understanding of your schedule and you get the benefit of amazing direction and experiences as well as being top of the class if you are motivated!</p>
<p>Oh yeah- I applied to schools for art..and some for intense acedemics. So that is another benifit, you can do many things you could at a regular school and then some. For the schools I applied for science, I hit on my multiple AP science classes, and summer programs. And when applying to art schools, I took advantage of the tools I had been given at my school such as the resources it gave me.</p>
<p>Thanks!!! i appreciate your help</p>
<p>You're welcome. I had similar intentions, academic wise, and ironically think I am more qualified than if I went to my regular school. Think about it though, and if you do go, don't forget why you are there.</p>
<p>i don't think you should go to the art school if you mainly only want to be there in order to get really high grades. I think its best to go to a prestigious brainiac school since colleges take more students from these schools than from regular public schools. Since you say you're studious then you probably won't have a problem standing out. I'm surprised that you're so young and already you know exactly what you want to do.</p>
<p>Since you have your location as San Francisco, may I ask if you're talking about SoTA? If your not, ignore what I'm going to say...</p>
<p>I've always gotten the feeling that SoTA is very arts focused...it seems like you spend a lot of your day focused on art and frankly, it doesn't seem like quite the right place for someone who wants to be an engineer or automotive designer. </p>
<p>There are lots of public schools in San Francisco that are more "well-rounded," such as Lowell, Wash, etc. and numerous private schools. I'd be wary of choosing such an art focused school if you don't really want to go anywhere involving your art professionally, etc.</p>
<p>Do what you feel is right, and don't think about what colleges want yet - you're only in eighth grade! Congratulations on getting into this art school, it sounds like an awesome opportunity. Many people, I'm sure, would have killed to get in!</p>
<p>You could even write part of your college essay down the road on having to make the choice between a regular high school, and an arts high school. Write about what it's like being an artist who wants to make cars, and how you blur the lines between art and science when much of the world sees them as so different, on opposite ends of the spectrum.</p>
<p>Now, I don't know much about arts schools, but would the art school have the same opportunities for extracurriculars and sports and such? It's just as important to have leadership positions and such as it is to have top grades and a challenging schedule.
If both would provide the same non-academic opportunities, do what YOU would like to; NOT what you think will get you into a good college. You're more likely to succeed in an environment that you're happy/comfortable in.
Good luck! :)</p>
<p>MITMAN, the art school I attend is hosted at a regular school so that we can take their academics, the one you are referring to may be different and may change your opinion. I liked it because I did have the same oppertunities.</p>